Surface treating machine



.May 4, 1943. L. VAVRIK ETAL 2,318,117

SURFACE TREATING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 am M114 2! 5 70 T KENNETH EATA'JN.

May 4, 1943. L. VAVRIK EIAL SURFACE TREATING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A N -W 7 m M V mu a z Lm w m 9 4 1, FJ 5 w W...

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1943- L. VAVRIK |:rm 2,318,117

SURFACE TREATING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet :s

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SURFACE TREATING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 4, 1943 SURFACE TREATING MACHINE Louis Vavrik, Rossford, and Kenneth C. Atkin, Toledo, Ohio, assignors to The American Floor Surfacing Machine Company, Toledo, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application May 4, 1942, Serial No. 441,685

10 Claims.

This invention relates to machines used for polishing, scrubbing, or abrading floor surfaces, or the like, and the features embodying the invention are herein illustrated in connection with a drum type machine.

The primary object of the invention is the provision in a machine of the character described, of several novel features of construction, whereby to enhance the efiiciency, practicability and commercial value thereof.

An object of the invention is the provision in a machine of this class, of a novel and eflicient supporting-truck means which is adjustable in a simple manner forward and backward within a predetermined range relative to the center of gravity of the machine to remove the weight of the machine from the surface treating member or to adjust such weight relative thereto as work-- ing conditions may require or render desirable.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a machine of the character described, of a novel attachment which is simple and inexpensive in construction and capable of easy and quick manual operation to serve as a support for holding the surface treating member free from engagement with the surface when the machine is not in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a machine of the character described, of an improved speed change means between the rotatable surface treating member and its power source, and a simple and efficient adjustable mount for said means to facilitate the operation and control of the machine.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, and from the accompanying drawingsillustrating one embodiment thereof, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention showing various interior parts in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the handle portion of the machine, with a portion of the speed adjusting control in position therein; Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the machine, with a portion of the handle extension broken away; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section of the machine on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-section on the line 55 in Fig. 4, with the removable cover plate shown in dotted lines; Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section on the line 66 in Fig. 1, with the speed change means in a slightly different position; Fig. '7 is a fragmentary section on the line 1-1 in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation of the body portion of the machine sim ilar to that shown in Fig. 1, with the supporting means thrown in supporting position, and with a portion of the housing broken away; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section on the line 9-9 in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary bottom perspectiveview of the machine showing the adjustable truck and the separate supporting member for the machine, with the latter in supporting position, and Fig. 11 is a diiferent perspective view of the truck means, with parts broken away and parts removed.

Referring to the drawings, the machine housing includesthe body part I, in which the operating parts are mounted, and the upward and rearward extension part 2, in which some of the controls are mounted, and which forms a portion of the handle shank and is provided at its outer end with a short narrow shank part 3 carrying'a cross handle bar 4,

The body housing I is open at its bottom and has, at its left side, in the present instance, a space 5 formed by interior wall parts 6 and 1, and an outer removable side portion 8. In the upper rear portion of the housing I is mounted a motor l0 (Fig. 6), with its rotor shaft H disposed crosswise of the housing and suitably journaled at one end in the right housing side wall l2 and at its other end in the interior wall part 1, with such latter end extending into the space 5. An interior partition l3 (Fig. 6) cooperates with the wall part 1 to form a dust conduit and fan chamber I 4 in which a fan [5, carried by said shaft, is disposed. The chamber M has at its bottom an inlet IS in connection with .the outlet end of a suction mouth piece "and has at its top an outlet l8 adapted to open into a dust collecting bag l9 carried by the handle structure 2. The handle structure 2 is substantially of inverted U'-form in cross-section, with its open side facing downward and rearward, and the upper portion of the bag is partially positioned within the handle structure through such open side and is suspended therefrom as from a point 20 in Fig. 1.

In the lower front portion of the housing I is provided a drum receiving chamber 2|, which is generally circular in vertical section, longitudinally of the machine, with its bottomopen and with its lower rear portion open to the receiving or inlet end of the mouth piece H, as well understood in the art. The front side of the chamber- 2! is closed by a hinged door 22, which may be opened to facilitate access to the chamber. The polishing or abrading drum 23 is mounted in the chamber 2| on a, stud shaft 24 and is endwise removable from said shaft for repair or replacement through a side opening in the housing side [2. The shaft is journaled at its inner end in a bearing in the interior wall part 6 and projects at such end into the space 5. The drum 23 is held on the shaft by a nut 25 (Fig. 3).

Power is transmitted from the motor shaft II to the drum shaft 24 through an intermediate pulley and belt connection which includes a drive pulley on the motor shaft, a driven pulley 3| on the drum shaft and an intermediate change speed pulle 32, together with a belt 33, connecting the drive and change spee'd pulleys and a belt 34 connecting the change speed and driven pulleys. The belts and pulleys are of V-type, and the change speed pulley 32 is of the wellknown type having two belt grooves therein separated by an axially shiftable wall member 35 (Fig. 5), whereby the driving speed for the drum belt 34 is changed bya movement of the pulley 32 transverse to its shaft to cause a loosening of one belt and a tighteningof the other, so that the tightened .belt will ride deeper in its groove and a consequent change of speed of the driven pulley effected, as well understood in the art. In the present instance, the change speed shaft 36 is located at substantially the apex of a right angle with the motor shaft disposed thereover and the drum shaft in advance thereof.

The adjusting movements of the shaft 36 are effected by rocking movements of a lever 31 carrying such shaft. This arm extends inward from the apex of said angle, cutting the angle substantially in half, and is fulcrumed on a frame stud 38, so that the swinging movement of the shaft z 35 is substantially in the arc indicated in Fig. 4. The stud 38 is carried, in the present instance, by a bracket 39, which is secured to the side of the wall part 6 of the housing, for limited adjustment in a plane substantially parallel to the arm 31, by clamping screws 48 projecting through lengthwise slots 4| in the bracket and threading into the housing part 5. An adjusting screw 42 is threaded through an end lug on the bracket 39 and bears against a shoulder on the housing wail and facilitates adjustment of the bracket relative to thehousing when the clamping screws 40 have been loosened. It is apparent that a rocking adjustment of thelever 31 will shift the pulley 32 to effect a change within predetermined limits of the driven speed of the drum and that the mounting of the lever on the machine housing through the medium of the adjustable bracket 39 permits the proper movement of the lever and its pulley to obtain the change speed limit desired. This also provides a unitary mounting for the change speed means which facilitates easy assembling or disassembling of the parts, a mounting of the lever and its pulley in proper position to accomplish the desired purpose, andenables auniforr'n belt tension adjustment to be accomplished without any particular skill being required on the part of the operator.

'The lever 31 has its upper end connected to a rod 44 which projects upthroughthe hollow of the handle structure 2 and is connected at its upper end to a hand control lever 45. This latter lever is. fulcrumed in theupper end portion of the part 2 and projects from one side thereof as shown in Fig. 2. The control for the motor I!) is not shown as this forms no part of the presentinvention. Such'controls, however, are customarily mounted in a convenient position on the upper-end portion of the handle. I r The truck which forms the support for the housing at the rear of the drum 23 comprises, in the present instance, two transversely spaced wheels or rollers mounted on opposite ends of an axle member 5| disposed crosswise of the housing and provided intermediate said wheels with a block 52 through which is threaded an adjusting screw 53. This screw has its axis horizontally disposed lengthwise of the housing and is journaled at its rear end in a bearing lug 54, projecting down from the rear side wall of the housing, and at its forward end in a bearing boss 55 provided on the rear side of the lower wall of the mouth piece I! adjacent to its lower edge. This screw is provided at its outer rear end with a knob or enlargement 56 to facilitate turning, and is prevented, in a suitable manner, from having axial movements relative to the housin when turned.

The supporting connection between the truck axle and housing is of link form and includes, in the present instance, two links 51 sleeved at their lower ends on the axle 5! at respective sides of the block 52 and having their upper ends mounted on opposite ends of a cross-shaft 58. On the central portion of this shaft is sleeved the inner end of a yoke 59 having two arms projecting therefrom and pivoted at their ends to the ends of a cross-shaft 60 carried by a boss Bl at the lower inner edge of the rear wall of the housing, as best shown in Figs. 7, l0 and 11. The yoke formed by the links 5'! and shaft 58 is approximately twice the length of the yoke 59, and the spacing of its links is sufficient to-permit it to be swung rearwardly in straddling relation to the yok 59 and its shaft 60, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. This permits the block 52, through which the screw 53 is threaded, to pass under and to the rear of the lower end portion of the yoke 59. Such movement is also-facilitated by angling the lower end portions of the links 51 rearwardly, as shown in Fig. '7. It is apparent that the truck has a range of adjustment substantially corresponding to the length of the free portion of the screw 53 between the bearings 54 and 55; that its adjusting movement is maintained in a plane parallel or substantially parallel to the lower edge of the housing; that the truck is braced and held against lateral twisting movements relative to the housing by its toggle connection with the housing, and also that such toggle connection relieves the screw very largely of the machine load on the truck. This manner of mounting the truck in connection with a machine of this character enables it to be easily and quickly shifted by the operator forward and rearward relative to a vertical line in which the center of gravity of the machine is disposed, so as to suit the pressure with which it is desired to have the drum engage the floor or other surface to be treated.

It is frequently desirable in the use of machines of this character to permit the machine to stand with the drum raised from engagement with the fioor. To accomplish this, a supporting leg 65 (Figs. 8, 9 and 10) is pivoted at one end to the under side of the rear Wall of the mouth piece H or to the bottom of the bearing boss 55, in the present instance, by a screw 56. The plane of swinging movement of the leg 35 is upwardly and rearwardly inclined from a horizontal, so as to permit the leg 55 to be swung to a forwardly and downwardly projecting position, as shown in Fig. 8, in which position it serves as a supporting leg for the machine, or to be swung to a position crosswise of the machine to place it in retracted or inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 7. The leg 65 is of bell crank form,'having a short arm 61 projecting laterally from its inner end, and this short arm has pivotal connection with the forward end of a control rod 68, which extends, upwardly and rearwardly in substantially the plane of swinging movement of the leg and has its rear end projecting through the rear wall of the housing in position to facilitate manual op- 'eration by the operator. v

To facilitate catching all of the dust and dirt that is delivered rearwardly by the action of the drum 23, the lower fixed edge wall of the mouth piece I! terminates approximately in a plane with the lower edge of the'housing and is provided with rest freely on the floor surface over which operat-'- ing so that practically all of the dust delivered by the drum will be caused to travel up the lip strip and into the mouth piece instead of escap ing to some extent underneath the machine.-

While the lip strip l'il is sufficiently stiff to normally maintain its shape, it is sufficiently flexible to permit it, when sliding along the floor, to conform to any irregularities therein. This strip may be secured to the mouth piece by screws l I which permit its easy removal and replacement.

We wish it understood that our invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims,

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. In a machine of the class described, wherein the machine body is supported at its rear by a truck and carries a surface treating member in advance thereof, a supporting toggle link connection between the body and truck permitting adjusting movements of the truck toward and away from said member and relative to a vertical line intersecting the center of gravity of the machine, and means operable to cause said movements, said connection having broad transverse connection with both the body and truck to tend to prevent relative lateral rocking movements thereof.

2. In a machine of the class described, wherein the machine body is supported at its rear by a truck and carries a surface treating member in advance thereof, a supporting toggle connection between said truck and body operable to adjust the truck toward and away from said member and relative to a vertical line intersecting the center of gravity of the machine, and a generally horizontally disposed screw rotatably carried by the housing and anchored against relative axial movements, said screw having threaded engagement with the truck to move it lengthwise of the screw when the latter is rotated, said toggle connection having links vertically disposed and in inclined relation one to the other.

3. In a machine of the class described, wherein the machine body is supported at its rear by a truck and carries a surface treating member in advance thereof, asupporting toggle link connection between said truck and body operable to adjust the truck substantially horizontally relative to the center of gravity of the machine located at the rear of said member, said toggle connec- 4. In a machine of the class described, wherein the machine body is supported at its rear by a truck and carries a surface treating member in advance thereon-a connection between said truck and body including an upstanding link pivoted to the housing for forward and rearward swinging movements and a second link pivoted toandextending downwardly from the upper free end of the'first link for forward and rearward movements relative thereto and attached at its lower end to the truck tocause limited forward and rearward adjusting movements thereof relative to the body, and means operable to effect such movements and serving as a guide therefor.

5. In a machine of the class described, wherein the machine body is supported at its rear by a truck and carries a surface treating member in advance thereof, a connection between said truck and body including an upstanding link member pivoted at its lower endto the lower rear portion of the body for forward and rearward swinging movements relative thereto and a second link member pivoted to and extending downwardly from the upper free end of the first link in the manner of a toggle and attached at its lower end to the truck to cause forward and rearward adjusting movements thereof relative to the body when said link members are relatively moved, the second link member being longer than the first and adapted to straddle the first, and means operable to effect the adjusting movements of the truck and serving as a guide therefor.

6. In a machine of the class described, wherein the machine body is supported at its rear by a truck and carries a surface treating member in advance thereof, the center of gravity of the machine being rearward of said member, a toggle means connecting said truck and permitting adjusting movements of the truck toward and away from said member and bracing them against relative twisting movements, said means including an upstanding link member pivoted at its lower end to the bottom portion of the body and swinging forwardly therefrom, a yoke pivoted at its upper end to the free end of said link and attached at its lower end to the truck to impart adjusting movements to the truck when the toggle formed'by said link and yoke is opened and closed, said yoke being longer 7 than said link and adapted to straddle it during a portion of the permissible truck movement, and screw means connected to the truck and operable to guide and efiect the movements'thereof relative to the body.

7. In a machine of the class described, wherein the machine body has a supporting truck at its lower rear portion and a surface treating member at its forward end portion and normally resting by gravity on a surface to be treated, a bell crank element having a long arm'and a short arm and pivotally connected adjacent to its'angle to the under side of the machine body intermediate the truck and treating member for swinging movements in anupwardly and rearwardly inclined plane about an axis inclined forwardly from a vertical to move the long arm to and from body supporting surface engaging position whereby the treating member is supported tion-having opening and closing movements substantially a vertical plane during adjustment free from the surface, and a control member at.- tached to said short arm and projecting to accessible position Without the machine and operable to swing said element into and out of supporting position.

8. In a machine of the class. described, wherein the machine housing has a surface treating drum at its forward end portion and a driving motor in its upper portion, a driving connection :between the motor and drum shafts including a change speed pulley and a belt from each shaft to said pulley, a lever pivoted to said housin for vertical rocking movements and carrying said change speed pulley to swing therewith for speed changing purposes, and means connecting said lever and operable from without the housing to efiect predetermined movements of said lever.

9. In a machine of the class described, wherein a drive motor and a rotatably driven surface treating member are carried by the machine body with their shaft in parallel relation, a change speed pulley disposed intermediate of and having belt connection with each of saidshafts, whereby a predetermined movement of the pulley axis transverse to the shaft axes will effect a change of speed, a bracket attached to the housing intermediate said shafts, a lever pivoted to said bracket and projecting down between said shafts and carrying said change speed pulley, said lever being rockable relative to the bracket to effect a change speed movement of the pulley, said bracket being adjustable relative to the housing in a direction lengthwise of the lever, and manually operable control means attached to said lever.

10. In a machine of the class described, wherein a surface treating drum and a driving motor therefor are carried by a housing with the shafts thereof parallel and with that of the motor disposed rearwardly and above that of the drum, a change speed pulley disposed rearwardly of the drum shaft and below the motor shaft and having belt connection with each shaft, a mounting and adjustment control unit for said pulley disposed between said shafts and including a lever carrying the pulley and projecting upwardly and forwardly therefrom and a bracket forming a fulcrum for said lever intermediate the ends of the latter, and means adjustably attaching said bracket to the housing for adjustment relative thereto substantially lengthwise of the lever.

LOUIS VAVRIK. KENNETH C. ATKIN. 

